Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow: Hours, Tickets and Games

The Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow is a small interactive museum of working arcade games made in the USSR from the late 1970s, set a few minutes’ walk from the Bolshoi Theatre. It opened in 2007, and visitors play the machines with the original 15-kopeck coins they receive with the ticket.

Games such as Sea Battle, Sniper and Highway are on offer, with Soviet drinks from vending machines and a retro photo booth. This guide explains how the coins and the tickets work, what the sources say about the hours and the number of machines, which conflicts exist between sources, how the second location at Prospekt Mira differs from the main one, and how to make the visit work on a busy weekend.

Quick Facts

Russian name	Музей советских игровых автоматов
Built / opened	2007
Address	Kuznetsky Most Street 12 (the corner with Rozhdestvenka Street), Moscow
District	Tverskoy
Metro	Kuznetsky Most (Line 7, purple, about a 5-minute walk) Teatralnaya (Line 2, green, a longer walk of roughly 10 minutes (estimate)) Trubnaya (Line 10, lime, about a 5-minute walk)
Opening hours	Listings give daily hours from 11:00 to 21:00 for the main museum on Kuznetsky Most, with a second location open until 20:00, but no official page was reached, so check the current hours before you go (as of October 2026 – check the official source).
Admission	A ticket was listed at a moderate price (₽₽) in older sources and includes 15 tokens for the games and a guided walk-through; check the current price before you go.
Best time to visit	Weekdays are best, since the museum can be crowded at weekends and you may have to queue for some machines, according to an older guide. It is open daily from 11:00 to 21:00 according to listings, which suits an evening visit, and it works in all seasons and in rain. It is warm inside, so lighter clothing is useful.
Recommended duration	About 1 to 2 hours
Last updated	October 9, 2026

What Is (and Isn't) Part of a Visit to Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow?

Part	Status	Notes
The main museum on Kuznetsky Most 12	Included in the standard ticket	The collection of working machines with 15 tokens and a guided walk-through included in the ticket.
The second location at Prospekt Mira 119	Separate ticket or institution	A separate location with its own hours; one ticket covers only one location.
Extra coins and drinks	Separate ticket or institution	Additional coins and Soviet-style drinks are bought separately.
Souvenir photos	Separate ticket or institution	Photographs from the retro photo booth are paid for separately.
Modern video game arcades	Outside / not part of it	The museum shows Soviet machines only, not modern games.
The Bolshoi Theatre and Kuznetsky Most shops	Outside / not part of it	Nearby sights a few minutes' walk away.

Why Visit Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow?

The museum is hands-on: the machines work and visitors play them with real Soviet 15-kopeck coins, handed out in a matchbox with the ticket, so a visit is closer to an hour in an arcade than to a walk past glass cases. The games, among them naval combat, shooting and driving games, were made by Soviet factories using the electronics and plastics of the time.

It is a good choice for families with children and for visitors who want something unusual between the Kuznetsky Most shops and the Bolshoi, and it takes no more than a couple of hours. The museum was founded by three enthusiasts who collected machines from across the former Soviet republics.

How Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow Is Laid Out

The main museum occupies a small space on two floors in a building on Kuznetsky Most Street 12, on the corner with Rozhdestvenka Street, close to the Bolshoi Theatre and the shopping streets of the center. The machines stand in rows, with instructions at each, and a cafe or soda area is on the ground floor, according to an older description.

A second location, reported at Prospekt Mira 119, building 57, near VDNKh, has its own hours and requires its own ticket, since one ticket is valid for one location. The sources give different numbers for the machines, from 50 to about 80 in the collection and about 40 running in an older description. Check the current location and ticket rules before you go.

Highlights of Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow

Working arcade machines from the USSR

The collection consists of original Soviet arcade machines produced since the 1970s, with sources giving over 50, over 70 or about 80, and about 15 games on the working exhibits, among them Sea Battle, Sniper and Highway. Each game lasted two minutes in Soviet times and plays the same way now. Instructions stand by each machine and English descriptions were provided for foreigners according to an older guide.

Tip: Start with the machines in the middle of the room, since popular ones can have queues at weekends.

The 15-kopeck coins

With the ticket each visitor receives 15 original Soviet 15-kopeck coins in a matchbox, enough for about 30 minutes of play, and one coin starts one game. Extra coins can be bought, according to a guide. The coins are part of the fun and a good souvenir idea. Check how many coins your ticket includes.

Tip: Spend the coins on games that take two players if you visit in a pair.

Two-player games

Most machines are for one player, but some allow two, among them Hockey, Basketball and Torpedo Attack according to an older guide. They are the best choice for a visit with a friend or a child. Check which ones are working on the day.

Tip: Try the two-player games first, since they are the most popular.

Soviet soda and the photo booth

The museum offers drinks from Soviet-style vending machines, an analog photo booth for retro pictures and other objects of Soviet daily life, such as a milkshake blender from the early 1970s, according to ticket pages. The drinks may not be included in the ticket. Check prices at the vending machines.

Tip: Bring a little cash in rubles for the drinks and photo booth.

The guided walk-through

Tours are given every hour in Russian and in English if requested at least 48 hours in advance, according to a ticket page, giving an insight into arcade culture in the USSR. The ticket price includes the excursion according to older sources. Check the tour times and contact the museum in advance for English.

Tip: Ask for the English tour at least 48 hours in advance.

The second location at Prospekt Mira

A second location, reported at Prospekt Mira 119, building 57, near VDNKh, shows a similar collection and is open until 20:00 according to a ticket page. One ticket covers only one location. Check whether it is open and whether it suits your route, since it is far from Kuznetsky Most.

Tip: Choose one location per ticket, since a ticket is valid for only one.

Atmosphere

You step into a warm room full of heavy metal cabinets with painted fronts, small screens or periscopes and the clatter of buttons and coins dropping in slots. The light is dim and bright by turns, and the air smells of old electronics and warm plastic.

Visitors are mostly young Muscovites, couples and families with children, and foreign visitors who find the machines unlike any modern game. Weekdays are quiet, while weekends can be crowded with queues for popular machines, and it is pretty warm inside, so lighter clothing helps. The mood is playful and nostalgic.

History of Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow

The Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines was founded in 2007 by three young enthusiasts who collected arcade machines from different parts of the former Soviet Union and restored them to working order. At first the collection included about 37 machines and it opened on certain days, later daily.

The museum moved several times: in August 2011 it moved to Baumanskaya Street, where the exposition grew by dozens of machines, and a branch opened elsewhere. It closed at one of its locations in January 2015, and since June 2015 the museum has been on Kuznetsky Most Street in the center. Sources give different numbers for the collection, from 50 to about 80.

Soviet arcade machines were produced from the mid-1970s by the Soviet industry, which used modern microcircuits, alloys and plastic, and engineers designed both the games and the machines. A second location of the museum is reported at Prospekt Mira. Dates and details should be checked against the museum’s own pages, and this history is shorter than requested because few facts could be verified.

Tickets and Booking for Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow

Ticket	Price	Includes
Admission ticket	a moderate price (₽₽) in older sources; check the current price	Entry, 15 tokens for the arcade machines and a guided walk-through; private museum, so concessions may not be available.
Second location ticket		A separate ticket for the location at Prospekt Mira; the price was not verified.
Extra tokens		Additional tokens for more games; the price was not verified.

Tickets. Tickets are sold at the museum and by online ticket sellers, which issue vouchers; no official site was reached, so confirm the ticket rules, the booking process and prices before you go. One ticket is valid for one location only, and children must be accompanied by an adult, with no more than two children under 6 per adult, according to a ticket page. English tours need a request at least 48 hours in advance. Rates for Russian citizens and concessions may differ, so check the museum’s official page for all categories.

Payment. Cash in rubles is the safe option. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, and your country’s sanctions rules may restrict some payment services, so check this yourself.

Suggested itineraries Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow

1 to 2 hours

Walk from Kuznetsky Most Metro to Kuznetsky Most 12, collect your coins, join the walk-through if it suits and then play the machines until the coins run out.

Half day in the center

Play at the museum in the morning, then walk to Kitay-Gorod and Zaryadye Park or to the Bolshoi Theatre, following the Kitay-Gorod and Zaryadye Park Walking Itinerary.

Family afternoon

See the museum on a weekday afternoon, then continue to a cafe in the center or follow the Moscow with Kids: One-Day Family Itinerary.

How to Get to Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow

Take the Metro to Kuznetsky Most (Line 7, purple), about 5 minutes on foot*, or Trubnaya (Line 10), also about 5 minutes. Teatralnaya (Line 2) and Lubyanka (Line 1) are longer walks. The museum is at Kuznetsky Most Street 12, on the corner with Rozhdestvenka Street.

• On foot: the museum is a short walk from the Bolshoi Theatre and the Kuznetsky Most shops.
• By taxi: ask for Kuznetsky Most 12, the Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines.
• Second location: Prospekt Mira 119, building 57, near VDNKh; check the details first.

Accessibility

A ticket page says the museum is not wheelchair accessible, and the space is small and on two floors; this was not verified on an official site, so check with the museum before you go.

Food Nearby

The streets around Kuznetsky Most, Rozhdestvenka and Neglinnaya have many cafes and restaurants, and the museum offers Soviet-style drinks from vending machines; the exact venues were not verified. See the Moscow Food Tour: Russian Cuisine and Local Specialties itinerary.

What to Bring

Bring light clothing, since it is warm inside, a little cash in rubles for extra coins and drinks, and a camera for the retro photo booth.

Best Views and Photo Spots of Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow

The rows of machines

Painted metal cabinets with glowing screens and buttons in a dim room, with players at the controls.

Best time: Weekday afternoons, when it is quiet.

The analog photo booth

An old booth that produces retro photographs, a playful frame of Soviet life.

Best time: Any time; check that it is working.

The matchbox of coins

A close-up of the 15-kopeck coins in their matchbox, a small detail of the visit.

Best time: At the start of the visit.

Kuznetsky Most Street

A historic shopping street with the museum's building at the corner of Rozhdestvenka.

Best time: Morning, for empty pavements.

Photography Rules

Photography of the machines is generally allowed, but rules were not verified on an official site, so ask staff. Flash may disturb other players, and drones must not be flown in the center.

Family Suitability

Suitable for children and families, since the machines are simple and fun, though children must be accompanied by an adult, with no more than two children under 6 per adult, and the space is small and not wheelchair accessible. It is warm inside, so bring light clothing for children. Visit on a weekday to avoid queues.

Moscow Vibes Tips

• Visit on a weekday, since weekends can be crowded with queues for popular machines.
• Choose one location per ticket, since one ticket covers only one location.
• Ask for an English tour at least 48 hours in advance.
• Bring light clothing, since it is pretty warm inside.
• Pick two-player games like Hockey with a friend, since they are the most fun.
• Check the current location and hours, since the museum has moved several times in its history.

Explore Nearby Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow

Sights near Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow

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  Bolshoi Theatre Moscow – about 200 m away (~3 min walk) · typical visit: 3–4 hours for a performance; about 1 hour for a guided tour
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  Maly Theatre Moscowabout 250 m away (~4 min walk) · typical visit: About 3 hours for a performance
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  Central Children's Store on Lubyanka Moscowabout 250 m away (~4 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 to 2 hours
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  Chekhov Moscow Art Theatreabout 550 m away (~9 min walk) · typical visit: About 3 hours for a performance
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  Museum of the Patriotic War of 1812 Moscowabout 600 m away (~10 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hours
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  Moscow Museum of Archaeologyabout 650 m away (~10 min walk) · typical visit: About 45 minutes to 1 hour

Metro stations near Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow

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  Kuznetsky Most Metro Stationabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)
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  Teatralnaya Metro Stationabout 400 m away (~6 min walk)
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  Lubyanka Metro Stationabout 450 m away (~7 min walk)

Restaurants and cafes near Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow

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  Tkemaliabout 150 m away (~2 min walk)
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  SAVVAabout 350 m away (~6 min walk)
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  Metropol Restaurantabout 350 m away (~6 min walk)
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  Tehnikumabout 400 m away (~7 min walk)

Nightlife near Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow

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  Kadril Karaoke Clubabout 150 m away (~2 min walk)
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  Let's Rock Barabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)

Hotels near Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow

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  Hotel Savoy Moscowabout 150 m away (~3 min walk)
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  Ararat Park Hotel Moscowabout 200 m away (~3 min walk)
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  Hotel Metropol Moscowabout 350 m away (~6 min walk)

Events and traditions near Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow

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  Circle of Light Festival in Moscowabout 200 m away (~3 min walk)
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  Moscow Fish Weekabout 700 m away (~11 min walk)
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  Moscow Tea Party Festivalabout 750 m away (~12 min walk)

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FAQ: Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscow

How do the machines work?

With 15-kopeck Soviet coins that come with the ticket; one coin starts one game, and extra coins can be bought.

How many machines are there?

Sources give different numbers, from over 50 to about 80, with fewer working in an older description.

Which Metro station is closest?

Kuznetsky Most on Line 7, about 5 minutes on foot.

Is it open every day?

Listings give daily hours from 11:00 to 21:00, but check the current schedule.

Is there more than one location?

A second location is reported at Prospekt Mira 119; one ticket covers only one location.

Are tours available in English?

Yes, if requested at least 48 hours in advance, according to a ticket page.

Is it suitable for children?

Yes, with an adult, though the space is small and warm; see the family section.

Can I pay with a foreign card?

Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, so carry cash in rubles; see the booking section for sanctions rules.

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